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EDUCATION REPORT #8 -
Tests

We continue our reports about how foreign students can attend
an American college or university. This information also can
be found on the Special English Web site, w-w-w dot voaspecialenglish
dot com. Today, we provide information about admission tests
required by many American colleges.

Experts say American college officials mainly consider three
things when deciding which students to accept. Most important
are the grades the student has earned in school. Officials also
consider how difficult the student¡¯s classes were.
Colleges usually accept students who have shown that they are
interested in learning and have taken difficult classes. The
third thing they look at is scores on admissions tests. The
college you want to attend may require that you take a test
called the S-A-T One Reasoning Test.

It is known by the letters S-A-T. The test measures a student¡¯s
understanding of mathematics and English. It also measures how
well a student reads and understands what is read.

The S-A-T is a three-hour test. It costs about twenty-six dollars.
You can get detailed information at the College Board Web site,
w-w-w dot college board dot com. That¡¯s w-w-w dot
c-o-l-l-e-g-e b-o-a-r-d dot c-o-m. The Web site will tell you
where and when the S-A-T will be given in your country. If you
do not have a computer, you can get the information at the United
States Educational Advising Center in your country.

Another test is called the Test of Spoken English. It is a
twenty-minute test that involves speaking English. Many American
universities want you to take this test if you plan to attend
graduate school.

Some universities also will tell you to take the Test of Written
English. This is a thirty-minute test in which you write about
something in English. It measures your ability to organize information
and express ideas in correct English.

The schools to which you apply probably will require a test
known as TOEFL. TOEFL is a short way of saying Test of English
as a Foreign Language. It measures your ability to understand,
read and write English. We will tell about the TOEFL on our
Education Report next week.

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This V-O-A Special English Education Report
was written by Nancy Steinbach, courtesy of VOAnews.com